United News of Bangladesh

An earthquake shook Dhaka and several other parts of the country on Friday afternoon. It was third tremor that hit Bangladesh within a span of 40 hours. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department(BMD), the earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale was felt at 1:52 pm. The epicentre was located in Assasuni  upazila of Satkhira District, said meteorologist Shahnaj Sultana of  BMD. According  to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the epicentre was located 47 kilometres southwest of Khulna district town and 29 kilometres southeast of Satkhira. However, there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. UNB’s Khulna correspondent reports that a moderate earthquake was also felt in Khulna and Ashashuni upazila of Satkhira at around 1:52pm. Md Mizanur Rahman, a weather officer at the Khulna Meteorological Department, said the quake was of moderate intensity. In Satkhira, many residents rushed out of their homes in fear when the tremor struck. However, no structural damage was reported immediately. Earlier, a mild earthquake was felt in Dhaka, Sylhet district and adjoining areas on Wednesday night.  The tremor, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 10:53pm, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). Another mild quake struck Dhaka and various parts of the country on Thursday.  The Earthquake Observation and Research Centre of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department said the tremor, which occurred at 12:04pm, had a magnitude of 4.6 on the Richter scale.

Three members of the same family, including a woman, were seriously injured in a fire caused by a gas leak from an air conditioner in their home in the Narinda area of the capital early Friday morning. The victims were identified as Moktar Bepari, 55, Selina Akhter, 45, and Mohammad Selim, 33. Assistant Professor Dr. Shaon Bin Rahman, resident physician at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said the three were brought to the hospital at around 1:00am with burn injuries. Moktar Bepari suffered burns over 22 percent of his body, Selina Akhter 20 percent, and Mohammad Selim 100 percent. Selim’s condition is critical. Local sources said several AC gas cylinders were stored in the house, which is part of a five-storey building. The explosion occurred on the second floor, causing a wall to collapse and a tin sheet to fall.  Residents later recovered multiple AC gas cylinders from the building.  

Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury on Thursday clarified that the Dhaka-Sylhet-Manchester flight will not be canceled, but its operation has been temporarily suspended to accommodate Hajj pilgrims. He made the remarks while delivering the keynote speech at an Iftar and reception organized by the Sylhet District Bar Association. The minister said efforts are underway to resolve the issue permanently, adding that, God willing, visible improvements will be seen across the board within a year. Highlighting regional development, he said, We, the elected representatives, want to work together for Sylhet’s growth. I am actively addressing road, rail, and air transport issues. Special attention is being given to prevent harassment and luggage-related problems at airports, ensuring expatriates receive all necessary facilities. Earlier, various groups of people at Osmani International Airport welcomed the minister with floral tributes. He requested prayers from attendees, saying, Please pray that we can fulfill people’s hopes and expectations. Among those present at the airport were BNP’s Central Microcredit Affairs Assistant Secretary freedom fighter Abdur Razzak, Sylhet City BNP General Secretary Imdad Hossain Chowdhury, Sylhet District BNP Vice President Mahbubur Rahman Faisal, District BNP 1st Joint Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmed Siddique, Organizational Secretary Shamim Ahmed, Gowainghat Upazila BNP President Mahbub Alam, Sports and Culture Secretary Sterling Taryang, District BNP Deputy General Secretary Rafiqul Islam Shahporan, Gowainghat Jubo Dal convener Advocate Shahajan Siddique, and District Chhatra Dal Joint General Secretary Afzal Hossain.

Police have arrested four members of an alleged kidnapping gang in connection with the abduction of Arfan Sayeed, son of an Information Ministry official. According to police, the arrests were made following instructions from the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman after the matter was brought to his attention. The arrestees are Tanvir Ahmed alias Fahim, 23, Ishraq Yamin Likhon, 20, Hasan Al Banna alias Haslam, 21, and Mostafiz Rahman Punj, 22. Schoolgirl stabbed to death in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division Masud Alam said the group is an organised gang. He said they targeted young people through social media, allegedly using drugs and women to lure victims before kidnapping them for ransom. In this case, the suspects allegedly contacted the teenager through social media, took him to the Chamelibagh area of Khilgaon, and demanded ransom over the phone. Police said the victim’s father informed the Prime Minister about the incident, after which the Ramna Division DC was directed to take immediate action. Schoolgirl stabbed to death by lover in Hazaribagh; suspect arrested DC Masud said the kidnappers held the teenager in an under-construction building in the Chamelibagh area. Using information technology, police traced the location. However, sensing police presence, the suspects fled, leaving the victim behind. The teenager was later rescued, given first aid at a private hospital, and handed over to his family. Police are searching for another suspect believed to have been involved. A case has been filed with Ramna Police Station, and further operations are underway.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday conducted an enforcement drive following allegations that a newly constructed road in Gazipur collapsed even before its inauguration. An enforcement team from the Anti-Corruption Commission, Integrated District Office, Gazipur, carried out the operation in the Dhananjaykhali area of Kashimpur Ward in Gazipur, ACC spokesperson Aktarul Islam said. At the outset, the ACC team inspected the road on the spot. The team later collected relevant documents from the Gazipur City Corporation in connection with the project. Subsequently, project-related documents were obtained from the project director and the executive engineer responsible for the road construction. Based on a preliminary review of the collected records, the ACC team found initial evidence supporting allegations of irregularities in the implementation of the project. The records will be examined in detail, following which the enforcement team will submit a comprehensive report to the Commission for further action, ACC officials said. The newly constructed road along the Turag river in Gazipur partially collapsed before it could be formally inaugurated, just nine days after completion. A section measuring roughly 10 to 12 feet caved in along the riverbank in the Dhananjaykhali area of Kashimpur, raising concerns among residents about safety and the durability of the Tk 11.67 crore project. The three-kilometre road stretches from Kashimpur Nama Bazar to Dhandkhali village. Locals said cracks first appeared over the last weekend, before a larger portion of the structure collapsed. According to the Gazipur City Corporation (GCC), the project was implemented on the west bank of the Turag through bituminous carpeting funded by GCC under Contractor UCCL. Under the project, 250 metres of water-bound macadam (WBM), 60 millimetres of carpeting, approximately 1.8 metres of sidewalk, railings, and guard walls were to be constructed in two packages.

Dhaka's Hazaribagh schoolgirl was allegedly stabbed to death by her lover after he became enraged over her suspected involvement in another relationship, police said on Thursday. Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ramna Division Masud Alam of Dhaka Metropolitan Police disclosed the details at a briefing held at the DMP Media Centre on Thursday afternoon. According to police, the victim, Shahriar Sharmin Binti, was a Class 9 student of Rayer Bazar High School under Hazaribagh Police Station. On Wednesday night around 9:30pm, the accused, Siam, allegedly called her over phone and asked her to come out of her residence. Schoolgirl stabbed to death in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh Police said Siam later attacked Binti from behind with a sharp knife on a paved road at Charkaghat area under Hazaribagh Police Station, leaving her critically injured. Locals rushed her first to Sikder Medical Hospital and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Following the incident, the victim’s father, Md Billal Hossain, filed a murder case with Hazaribagh Police Station. DC Masud Alam said police arrested the accused around 10am on Thursday during a raid at Kathalbagan area under Kalabagan Police Station. A knife used in the killing, bloodstained vest and trousers, and a mobile phone were recovered from his possession. Police said Binti and Siam, also known as Iman, had studied at the same school and were in a romantic relationship for about four years. Over time, the relationship deteriorated, and the accused suspected that the girl had become involved with another boy. “The accused went there yesterday (Wednesday ) carrying the knife with prior planning. He may have initially wanted to resolve the issue through discussion, but when the argument escalated, he stabbed her to death,” the DC said in response to a question. Police are continuing further legal proceedings in the case.

Administrator of Dhaka North City Corporation Md Shafiqul Islam Khan on Thursday stressed the need for social awareness and strengthened monitoring to curb the mosquito menace in the city. “Mosquito control cannot be ensured only by spraying insecticides. To effectively control mosquitoes, social awareness and monitoring must be strengthened,” he said while speaking at an introductory and views-exchange meeting with officials and employees of DNCC Zones 1, 6, 7 and 8 at Uttara Sector-6 Community Centre in the capital . DNCC suspends executive engineer over negligence of duty He also said that all ongoing tender works of the city corporation must be completed within the stipulated time and any irregularities in the tender process in the past will be reviewed and all allegations will be properly investigated. He also said no illegal work would be allowed in the city corporation.  “I have come here to work. People should see that we are trying to work for the city,” he added. Urging officials and employees to remain attentive to their duties, the administrator said everyone must attend their workplace on time.

New Bangladesh Bank Governor Md. Mostaqur Rahman has outlined a strategic vision to transition the national economy from "low-level equilibrium" to investment-driven growth. On his first day in office, a day after his appointment, the new Governor held a meeting with deputy governors and executive directors at Bangladesh Bank to outline his vision and priorities. The Governor emphasised maintaining macroeconomic stability while steering the economy towards inclusive growth,  central bank spokesperson Arief Hossain Khan told reporters after the meeting. The governor said while the interim government has brought the economy out of a "fragile state" to a level of stability, the current challenge is to ensure macroeconomic stability while fostering growth that creates jobs, he said. He said the Governor issued an 11-point directive to senior management to guide the central bank's future operations: 1.Macroeconomic Stability: Maintaining stability while simultaneously driving economic growth. 2. Inclusive Growth: Ensuring growth is inclusive to maximize employment generation. 3. Industrial Revival: Taking steps to reopen closed factories and commercial enterprises to inject momentum into the economy. 4. Interest Rate Review: Evaluating the issue of high interest rates to encourage increased investment. 5. Inflation Control: Prioritising price stability and keeping inflation under control. 6. Good Governance: Ensuring transparency and accountability across the banking sector. 7. Objective Decision-Making: Moving toward objective-based results in all policy decisions. 8. Rule-Based Management: Implementing a strict rule-based management system within the central bank. 9. Delegation of Authority: Increasing the delegation of authority to enhance work speed and efficiency. 10. Institutional Coordination: Working in close coordination with other government agencies. 11. Image Restoration: Upholding and enhancing the professional image and prestige of Bangladesh Bank.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has expressed concern over how independently the newly appointed Governor of Bangladesh Bank will be able to discharge his responsibilities, rising above conflicts of interest. The organisation has also raised the question of how a readymade garment and real estate entrepreneur, who rescheduled loans for his own company under special consideration, will be able to perform his duties impartially as Governor of the central bank. New pay scale could fuel bribery 'premiums' without reforms to public admin: TIB In a statement issued  on Thursday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the newly appointed governor’s experience in the banking sector is mainly linked to being a borrower, later a loan defaulter, and subsequently benefiting from loan rescheduling under special consideration. He said the governor has also played significant roles within influential business lobbies, including the readymade garment sector, the real estate sector, ATAB and the Dhaka Chamber. Dr Iftekharuzzaman questioned whether a governor appointed in haste would be able to meet public expectations of restoring a banking sector that fell into disarray during ‘an authoritarian kleptocratic regime’ while remaining free from the influence of business lobbies, borrowers and loan defaulters. TIB slams draft media ordinances as ‘mockery’ of free press He said nearly 60 percent of Members of Parliament and 62 percent of Cabinet members are primarily businesspersons while around 50 percent of MPs are loan defaulters with outstanding recoverable loans exceeding all previous records. In such a context, he asked how risky it could be for the banking sector to appoint ‘a loan-defaulting businessperson’ who has benefited from loan rescheduling under special consideration and from policy capture in sectors such as the readymade garment industry and REHAB. Through this appointment, he questioned what message is being sent both nationally and internationally and urged the government to reflect carefully on these issues. Referring to this unprecedented appointment—the first time in the country’s history that a businessperson has been appointed Governor of Bangladesh Bank—Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said such a decision risks turning the central bank once again into an instrument of business lobbies dependent on defaulted loans and political connections, rather than safeguarding national interest, as was the case during the authoritarian kleptocratic regime. He said, “The government must also consider how prudent it was to entrust the central bank’s leadership to a member of the election management committee of the ruling party. Moreover, the BNP, in its election manifesto, pledged to ensure good governance in the banking sector, discipline in financial institutions, and transparency and oversight. Appointing an individual burdened with conflict of interest as Governor of Bangladesh Bank constitutes a clear breach of that electoral commitment. The current government is well aware of the fragile state of the banking sector during the fallen authoritarian regime when partisan considerations and facilitation of vested interest groups by Bangladesh Bank contributed to large-scale money laundering, soaring defaulted loans, and overall economic vulnerability, he added. At a time when ensuring good governance in the financial sector including attracting foreign investment is critically important amid ongoing economic challenges, the effectiveness of this appointment remains questionable, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Thursday said the government will soon start the recruitment process of 10,000 police constables. Necessary steps are being taken to strengthen the police force, he told reporters at a briefing at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The Minister said instructions have also been given to expedite recruitment to fill up 180 vacant posts of police sergeants. Recruitment to these posts will be completed through proper examinations in near future, he added. Besides, sub-inspectors (SIs) and assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) will be recruited through the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, said the Minister. The Home Minister said law and order committees at district and upazila levels across the country have been reconstituted. An office order in this regard was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs earlier in the day. He added that directives have been given to formulate plans and implement them accordingly to improve law and order situation.